12 Best Things To Do At Biltmore Estate From Passholders
Are you considering visiting Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, and questioning if the ticket price is worth it? We think so! From locals and annual passholders since 2019, get your money’s worth with these fun things to do at Biltmore. As America’s largest home, it is easy to get overwhelmed. We’ve got you! All photos are our own.
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Whether you are looking for first-time Asheville attractions or are a local searching for things to do, we love Biltmore Estate’s delicious restaurants, safe and scenic biking and hiking trails, and gorgeous gardens. Peruse the shelves of a spooky but beautiful library filled with 22,000 volumes of books. Get chatty with some chickens and channel your inner Martha Stewart at Christmastime. Pay homage to Cedric and shop for gifts.
Plus, Biltmore is a large part of Asheville’s history, filled with fun and essential facts. The Vanderbilts helped put Asheville on the map, dedicating time and money to education, forestry, and the community. Today, Biltmore prides itself on environment-friendly practices, food access, and food sustainability.
Things To Do At Biltmore Included With Their Cheapest Ticket Option
There is so much to do at Biltmore that is covered in your ticket price, and since we’ve moved to Asheville, they’ve added next-day access to the grounds, which allows so much more time to explore. Along with the below activities, we also have an additional guide for kid-friendly things to do at Biltmore.
1. Tour Biltmore House
Biltmore’s basic House & Grounds ticket includes a daytime audio guide of Biltmore House. Arrive at your specific ticket time, and spend about 1.5 hours visiting the most notable rooms. My favorites include the library, loggia, indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, Halloween Room, kitchen, Butler’s pantry, and banquet hall. I also enjoy the Vanderbilt bedrooms and Bridgerton-style common areas. Some say the house is haunted.
Use the restroom before entering, as that’s it until you leave the house. Upon exiting, don’t miss the Biltmore shops to the immediate side of the house. The Carriage House sells great souvenirs, and Bookbinders showcases local authors.
2. Stroll The Gardens & Biltmore Conservatory
After touring that gorgeous mansion, head outside. Biltmore’s gardens inspire sweet engagements and vibrant photo sessions. With over 8,000 acres of grounds and gardens designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead, see the famous Biltmore Blooms, most stunning during the spring and summer.
While the Walled Garden is my favorite, Biltmore has an Italian Garden, Shrub Garden & Spring Garden, Azalea Garden, Rose Garden & Butterfly Garden, Winter Garden, Conservatory, and Bass Pond with a “waterfall.”
Enjoy one of our favorite best-kept secrets: behind Biltmore Conservatory, find The Conservatory Cafe, selling local craft beer, wine, and seasonal cocktails.
3. Access Biltmore’s Restaurants
If possible, make advanced OpenTable dining reservations at any of Biltmore’s delicious on-site restaurants. Although not included in your ticket price, visitors can only access Biltmore Estate dining with an annual pass, ticket, or overnight accommodation. Take advantage of this as the restaurants are good.
While it’s hard to pick, I suggest Stable Café with kids and Cedric’s Tavern for adults. At Stable Café, sit in the former horse stables while enjoying a casual Southern lunch with platters, sandwiches, and salads. At Christmastime, the space is beautifully and romantically decorated, boasting a preset dinner menu. Cedric’s Tavern is an ode to the family’s beloved Saint Bernard – look for his leash and black and white photos with the family – serving my favorite seasonal craft cocktails and elevated tavern food.
4. Visit Antler Hill Village & Biltmore Winery
Included with your Biltmore ticket, enjoy complimentary wine tasting at Biltmore Winery in Antler Hill Village. Plan on tasting about 6-7 wines, but you may get a generous pourer (we always do). And the cutest: they serve grape juice to underage guests. My favorite Biltmore wines include the red Biltmore Christmas, Chenin Blanc, Reisling, and Gewurztraminer, some of which are limited releases.
Afterward, shop in Antler Hill Village and grab ice cream at The Creamery or BBQ at the Smokehouse Food Truck. Dip into Biltmore’s Outdoor Adventure Center. Also in Antler Hill Village, find Biltmore’s Wine Bar, Village Social, and Village Hotel.
5. Meet Farm Animals, Watch A Demonstration, & Play
Biltmore is kid-friendly, and around Antler Hill Village, find Biltmore’s Barn and Farmyard. Meet farm animals like majestic draft horses, chickens, ducks, roosters, pigs, and goats. Watch chicks flourish under heating lamps.
Then, witness what it was like for families in the 1890s living on the estate, tending to crops, raising livestock, and working at Biltmore Dairy (today, this is the winery; do you want to know about the winery tunnel…). At Antler Hill Barn, watch craft demonstrations to see how a broom is made or watch Blacksmiths work. Afterward, play at the wooden Pisgah Playground and Picnic Area.
6. Attend Candlelight Christmas Evenings & Daytime Celebrations
Biltmore Estate at Christmastime is magical. From early November to early January, Biltmore House looks like Martha Stewart descended upon the rooms with a giant Christmas basket. Encounter 100 intricately decorated trees, 10,000 holiday ornaments, and 100,000 sparkling lights.
Visitors may tour the home in the daytime or purchase special Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets (we have to buy these separately as passholders). Find many of the 65 fireplaces blazing. Harp and guitar players play live music in common rooms. There’s even a gingerbread Biltmore House replica hiding in the kitchen. Afterward, grab a special seasonal dinner with cocktails at one of Biltmore’s on-site restaurants. Antler Hill Village also lights up.
Unforgettable Insider Tip: During Biltmore’s Candlelight Christmas Evenings, watch the sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains before entering the dimly lit home filled with candles, ribbons, and Christmas trees.
Biltmore Tours & Outdoor Adventure Add-Ons
While there are plenty of things to do at Biltmore included in your ticket price, you might want to add additional experiences and activities.
7. Take A House/Winery Tour
Biltmore has great house and winery tours to choose from. Consider taking a Rooftop Tour or Backstairs Tour. We’ve done their Wine and Chocolate Tasting, which was delicious.
8. Enjoy A Special Exhibit
We love Biltmore’s special exhibits, and as annual passholders, we have to pay a smaller fee to attend them since we already have passes to enter the estate. If you are interested in one of Biltmore’s special exhibits, consider purchasing a slightly pricier “combo” House, Exhibition, and Grounds ticket. A few of our favorite exhibitions over the years include Downton Abbey, Chihuly, and Van Gogh Alive. In 2025, explore Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures.
9. Have An Outdoor Adventure Or Learn Something New
Biltmore offers guided horse trail rides, carriage rides, and bird walks. Adults and kids can fish (and learn to fish) with professional instructors. Biltmore even offers fly fishing classes. Rent a kayak or raft and head to the French Broad River. Choose between a single or tandem kayak for a self-guided tour. Take a guided raft trip where your hosts paddle for you. Sounds Vanderbilt-esque, right?!
More Things To Do At Biltmore With Extra Time
Find just a few more things to do at Biltmore with an overnight or as a passholder.
10. Hike Or Bike On One Of Biltmore’s Many Trails
As locals, one of our top Biltmore activities includes hiking and mountain biking on the property’s 22+ miles of trails. Many of these hikes are short and perfect for the entire family. Locals can bring bikes, and any visitors without them may rent bikes from the Bike Barn. My favorite Biltmore trails include:
- Westover Trails – Head up the hill behind the Bike Barn to find the Westover Trails. Make sure to have a map. Although labeled, the trails are a little tricky to navigate. You’ll pass the Inn On Biltmore Estate from the Blue Trail, which is a 2.8-mile hike.
- Lagoon Trail – The 3-mile Lagoon Trail is both easy and beautiful. In the fall, you’ll encounter sunflowers, and of course, you’ll pass the stunning lagoon. Look up to see the Biltmore House on a hill.
- Deer Park Trail – We’ve taken the 2.5-mile Deer Park Trail up to the Biltmore House and gardens. Get a great side view of the Biltmore home. You can even start at Antler Hill Village, passing through the Lagoon Trail.
11. Picnic Along The Lagoon
If you are visiting Biltmore Estate just for the grounds – which is one of the main reasons we are passholders, along with dining and exhibits – take a walk and picnic (in designated areas). Many locals pack a picnic and chairs and sit along the lagoon or French Broad River. Bring food or stock up on snacks around Antler Hill Village and Biltmore Winery. Or grab subs off-site on your way to Biltmore at the nearby Apollo Flame Bistro (my favorite).
12. Stay Overnight On Property
As locals, we take advantage of Passholder Appreciation Months. Tom and I stayed overnight at Biltmore Estate, as well as our family. We recommend staying at:
- Village Hotel – This hotel is centrally located in Antler Hill Village with moderate prices and spa access. The Village Hotel also has a pool and on-site restaurants, Village Social and The Kitchen Cafe (they make delicious lattes). Of course, step outside into Antler Hill Village’s restaurants and amenities, too.
- The Inn On Biltmore Estate – This is a luxury hotel that is priced higher than the Village Hotel. The Inn has the most conveniences, including those requested mountain views. Each suite is named after one of George Vanderbilt’s friends or relatives. We love the Library Lounge for drinks, snacks, and views.
Biltmore Estate Visitor Information
Address: One Lodge Street, Asheville, NC 28803
Website: https://www.biltmore.com/
Tickets: https://www.biltmore.com/visit/tickets-pricing/
Phone Number: (800) 411-3812
If you have any planning questions, please feel free to ask in the comments. We are not affiliated or sponsored by Biltmore, and some questions you might need to direct to their visitor center and team.
Christine Frascarelli
Christine (pronouns: she/her) is the owner of Uncorked Asheville. After falling in love with those gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, Christine and her husband Tom decided to call Asheville, North Carolina home. When her pointy Italian nose isn’t stuck in a book, Christine is adopting all of the kitties, getting lost in the forest, and drinking an ESB. She has a BA in English and History from Smith College, her MLIS from USF-Tampa, and is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar - Indonesia. Christine also owns The Uncorked Librarian LLC with books and movies to inspire travel.
Hi!
So grateful for your posts here, it’s helping me plan our first day trip there so much! I am curious about the car situation. Do you need a car to visit the estate – just thinking in terms of drinking a bunch of wine and then driving. As well as planning how to get across the estate from the home and gardens to Antler Hill Village?
Hi Nicole, Thank you so much for the kind words! We have always visited the estate with a car, and Biltmore recommends the same. However, Biltmore offers a ticketed (there’s a fee) shuttle service across the property. You could get dropped off at ticketing, for example via Uber, and use this shuttle service to the home and Antler Hill Village. So, yes, technically, you can visit without a car. Biltmore has more info. here: https://www.biltmore.com/faq/how-do-i-get-around-the-estate-if-i-dont-have-a-car/. Have a great visit! Cedric’s also makes delicious seasonal cocktails… haha… AND, the library bar is delicious as well.
Do you have to have a ticket or an annual pass to walk the grounds, wine taste or shop antler village? We’ve already toured the house and just want to experience the aforementioned for our next trip to Asheville!
Hey! Yes; that’s correct. In order to access the grounds, you would need an annual pass or ticket. If a friend has a pass, I believe after 5 PM, they are also allowed to bring people on the grounds (in the same car). We are annual passholders, and for us, it’s worth it. Since you aren’t going to see the house, you don’t need to reserve a house time, especially if you are just planning on walking the grounds and enjoying the restaurants and wine bars. Sometimes, Biltmore offers extremely great annual pass deals where going once or twice all year already pays for itself.
I ordered tickets online but the earliest time for house tour was 11:30 am. Can we go before that time and walk the grounds and check out other things before we tour the house
Hey Tricia, Yes; according to Biltmore and in our experience, you can arrive before that time and walk around: https://www.biltmore.com/faq/can-i-arrive-to-the-estate-earlier-than-my-reservation-time-on-my-ticket/. The ticket time is just for when you can tour the actual inside of Biltmore Home. We are annual passholders; many times, we don’t even go to the house. We just arrive with our passes and head to Antler Hill village, the gardens, or the trails.
What about wheelchair accessibility??
Hi Linda,
Biltmore offers this FAQ page about accessibility that I hope you find helpful: https://www.biltmore.com/help-center/accessibility/.
That link will tell you about parking, shuttles, what is wheelchair accessible, and what is not accessible for guests with limited mobility.
I always think it is a good idea to call them with your specific questions too. That number is 800-411-3812. For us, they’ve always been great over the phone to answer our questions to ensure the best visit.
I hope you have a great time if you go to Biltmore Estate.
I am handicapped and have to use a wheelchair to get around. How do we (my husband and I) get our best Biltmore experience?
Hi Sandra,
Biltmore has a webpage that talks about accessibility here: https://www.biltmore.com/help-center/accessibility/.
It’s my understanding that the first and second floors will be most accessible in the Biltmore House. There are also ADA-accessible parking lots as well as shuttles. The Walled Garden and Conservatory are ADA accessible — which are the prettiest spots outside, in my opinion. You’ll find wide and paved pathways.
According to Biltmore’s website, Antler Hill Village is entirely ADA Accessible, which might be great for food options (Cedric’s is delicious — make advanced reservations if you can). The winery is there, too, which is included with your ticket.
You may also call Biltmore’s Guest Services if you have questions. Biltmore staff will have the most accurate information, but the above is my overall understanding of accessibility on property as a general visitor and area blogger. I hope that helps a little.
Have a wonderful visit.
Good places to eat in Asheville beside posana. I have a celiac and dairy free person in my group. Need help.
Hi Melody,
I am married to a Celiac, and we are both lactose-intolerant. You might find a lot of info on our vegan and vegetarian list (I also mention a lot of gluten-free places here with them): https://www.uncorkedasheville.com/vegetarian-vegan-asheville/.
Asheville restaurants usually have options for everyone and/or can modify.
We love Plant for gluten-free and lactose-free food, although it is vegan-only. You can also find more lactose and gluten-free meals at Laughing Seed (it is vegetarian and vegan). Nine Mile (Montford is our favorite location) has an extensive allergy menu labeled on their site. They have meats and pasta and Caribbean-inspired dishes.
Asheville Pizza and Brewing offers a gluten-free crust and lactose-free cheese, although I don’t think their kitchen is 100% dedicated gluten-free.
A lot of the Indian, sushi, and Thai restaurants will have options.
Look for Dare cheese while you are out — it’s lactose-free, too.
For dessert, head to the French Broad Chocolate Lounge; they have lactose-free desserts (vegan).
We also love, love, love Chiesa, but you have to request some food modifications. Chiesa’s pasta is gluten-free. They have a few other gf options and can modify for lactose-intolerances. Usually, if you go when it is not too busy, the chef will accommodate. You will most likely need advance reservations, though.
I hope this helps get you started.
The Biltmore is the #1 place I want to visit when I make it to Asheville. I’d love to stay on the property too! I wouldn’t mind paying extra for a guided tour as long as I have the time to walk around by myself after it’s done. It would be amazing to see it at Christmas all decorated for the season. Or visit the grounds during Springtime for the blooms. Ah, getting excited just thinking about it.
I need to make this happen!
Yes, the Biltmore was also our number 1 along with The Hunger Games waterfalls.
We really need to do a guided tour. We’ve been on this kick lately–even for our international travels–where we don’t do any tours. It’s a phase, lol!
Next year, I think we will splurge on Candlelight Christmas. As passholders, we still have to pay extra for that one and decided to go with Winter Lights instead. We did see the Biltmore all decked out, though, which was great.
Yay, Asheville trip!
Such a great post! I still can’t fathom only visiting for the gram…these people are really missing out. I’ll never understand just traveling somewhere for a stinking photo. We debated staying on Biltmore property when we visited…I think we’ll have to go for it when we’re back. I’d love to go back to Stable Cafe, and we missed the wine tasting (shocking, I know!) because the line was so long. I LOLed at Tom getting to taste ten wines!!
Thank you! Truly, you don’t visit the Biltmore just because it makes for a cool picture. I’m glad you can’t just run in front of it, snap a picture, and leave–that doesn’t create sustainable or responsible travel.
We live closeby, and I still want to stay on property. We were like that for the Disney resorts. I’d love to stay at the Grove Park Inn, too.
I need to get to that library bar at Biltmore. I was just telling Tom that we need to do some serious research this month.
I literally asked everyone how many wines they tasted and NO ONE gave me the same number lol.
@Christine, When we visited the Biltmore we went at Christmas with our post college daughters, it was beautiful, we stayed at Aloft hotel because they except dogs – it’s our favorite hotel when we travel we’ve always had great experiences and it’s the first hotel we check availability, most large cities have one. The wine tasting was a great time for all! At any rate we bought the annual pass and I returned in the spring with my younger daughter and stayed on site at the Inn for the weekend, it was a great trip! There is still much to see and do so we need to plan our next trip soon! And my retired Naval Officer husband, the cynic, who said
“how interesting can a house be” fully enjoyed his trip there and I have heard him since recommending a trip there to others, both friends, family and total strangers!
For us and our adult daughters it is “Disney World” for us!
Biltmore at Christmas is stunning! We love Candlelight Christmas Evenings the most along with Biltmore blooms. The Aloft is a great property, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s centrally located, fairly priced, newly renovated – and yes, dog-friendly. They partner to adopt out dogs too. I hope you enjoy your annual pass – we love it and renew every year. For us, it’s definitely worth it. We are hoping they bring back their summer concert series (it’s been on hold the past few years with everything going on). We love the Van Gogh Alive and now Monet immersive experiences too. Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous experience. As former Disney passholders, we agree. Have you been to the Omni Grove Park Inn for dinner, drinks, shopping across the street, and sunsets? I feel like you and your family would love that too!